I love this time of year, the weather is great and the abundance of fruit is amazing. So as I'm sitting here enjoying my delicious (and beautiful) breakfast, I thought I'd share a website that I came across recently.
I try to eat local and with the season as much as possible.We all know that eating local is not only good for our neighboring farmers, but it's also good for the environment. But, how do we know whats in season right now?
Well, of course you can figure out by visiting your local famers market. If its fresh and there is an abundance of it, odds are its in season. It doesn't hurt to ask some questions though, sometimes those markets are still guilty of shipping in produce from other parts of the country.
An easy way to figure out whats in season right now in your area is by clicking HERE. The National Resources Defense Council has done a great job of listing the fruits and veggies in season in each area of the country.
I pulled up my list and it correlated nicely with what I had been seeing at my local farmers market. I didn't see kiwi (seen above) on that list, but searched around and it does seem to be grown in Florida. I'll have to ask my local market where they get theirs.
One of the big fruits right now is strawberries. There is a lovely strawberry farm just a few miles down the road and I'm able to get them for close to $1 a pound.
Other favorites include bananas,oranges,honeydew, cantelope, and watermelon. But it never fails I find myself standing in front of a table of fruit trying to figure out how to pick the best one. So here are some brief guidelines to selecting fruit:
1. Cantelope: go by smell. If it smells sweet, you've probably got a good one. They should feel heavy for their size. They should be firm, but yield slightly to the touch.
2. Honeydew: once again put your nose to the test. Look for a pale yellow color with brighter yellow veins. If its beige and green then its not ripe.
3. Oranges: smell for a sweet, clean fragerance. They should feel heavy for their size.
4. Watermelon: No smelling here, you have to tap it with your flat hand. It should make a hollow sound. Look for heavy feeling, symetrical watermelons.
Do you eat local and with the season?
What tips do you have for selecting ripe fruit?